


X Marks the Spot

by delightfully_moody



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/F, Friendship, Identity Reveal, Lena Luthor Doesn't Know Kara Danvers is Supergirl, Lena Luthor Needs a Hug, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, smitten kittens
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-11
Updated: 2018-02-17
Packaged: 2019-03-16 16:03:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13639602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delightfully_moody/pseuds/delightfully_moody
Summary: On your 16th birthday, a black X will appear somewhere on your body, revealing where your soulmate will first touch you. Lena's X shows up on her left ankle, and all she can think is, "What the hell...?"Featuring: Kara crushing on Lena, Lena pining over her super soulmate, and Alex realizing they're both idiots.





	1. Chapter 1

When Kara Danvers turns sixteen, she wakes up with a black X on the palm of her right hand. She knew she would be getting her mark today, so it isn’t a surprise, but it's still bizarre to see it. Such an innocuous little thing, but it means so much. She traces it with her finger and smiles softly. She has tried, countless times, to imagine what her soulmate might be like. She is beyond excited to find out, and today she's one step closer. 

She remembers the day Alex explained the soulmate system to her. It was a warm day, the hottest Kara had experienced since being on Earth. Alex had begrudgingly agreed to take her new alien sister to the beach, and after a painful argument about the indecency of Earth swimwear, they found themselves sitting side by side in the sand. “What is that?” Kara asked, Alex looking out towards the waves and Kara squinting at Alex’s shoulder. Her soulmate mark was there, and Kara reached out to touch it, but Alex flinched away. “It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.” Kara retracted her hand and tucked her knees up to her chest, looking dejected. _Ugh, she's like a sad puppy,_ Alex thought, and she tried again, gentler this time: “It’s my soulmate mark.” Kara snapped to attention and opened her mouth to ask what Alex knew would be an annoying question, so she quickly continued, “Let me explain the whole thing, and then you can ask questions okay?” Kara nodded obediently and eagerly, pressing her lips together. “Everyone has a soulmate. Someone perfect for them. They’re like your equal, and your life companion. But finding them can be tricky. When you turn sixteen, you get a black X marked on your skin. It shows where your soulmate will touch you for the first time. And when you make that contact, both of your Xs will turn red. It’s the only clue you get. You’re not from here, so I don’t know if you’ll get a mark, but maybe you can ask Clark if he got one.” 

Kara did ask Clark. She called as soon as they got home that day, and Clark laughed, "Yes Kara, we also have soulmates." He added, softly: "It's like the universe knew that Krypton would be destroyed and decided that giving us soulmates might help us find comfort in this world." And it did bring Kara some comfort. She felt happier and more hopeful than she had in months. Of all the weird things that existed on this planet, Kara decided she could like this one. A soulmate just for her. That and dogs. She liked those. And Earth food. _Oh Rao, the food._

At sixteen, looking at her mark, the excitement is back. She can’t help but stare at the little X over and over again for the next several weeks. She shows it to everyone she knows, and most people congratulate her with kind smiles. Eliza and Jeremiah share a knowing look as Kara rambles on at dinner with made up stories about her soulmate. She tries not to be too disappointed that the mark is on her hand. She looks up articles that say that's the most common place to have the soulmate mark, where more than half of the population have theirs, but to Kara it just means she’ll have to pay close attention to when her X turns red. She is a tactile person by nature, and she’s always gotten a kick out of learning about different human mannerisms. It drove Alex crazy. She had giggled at the idea of a handshake, but this was the perfect opportunity to shake hands with as many new people as possible.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Lena Luthor turns sixteen, she can’t help but laugh at where her X shows up. At first, she has a hard time finding it. She even thinks for a moment that maybe she doesn’t have a soulmate, and the possibility is devastating. Growing up in the Luthor household has been isolating enough. She longs to have a connection with someone meant just for her, and she’s secretly been looking forward to this day for years. She looks in all the usual places where other people have their marks. After her initial search fails, Lena carefully starts stripping down in her bedroom, hoping for a miracle. She finally pulls off a sock, and there it is: a little black X on her left ankle. _What the hell…?_ She snorts out a laugh and quickly covers her mouth, laughing quietly to herself as she runs through possible scenarios in her head. She grabs her phone. Lex is going to love this.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Time passes and Kara grows frustrated. Over the years she realizes that being marked on her hand means the soulmate possibilities are endless, and it only gets significantly worse when she becomes Supergirl. “What if our first touch isn’t a handshake? What if it’s me… punching some bad guy in the face and they end up being my soulmate??” Kara covers her face with her hands as she sinks deeper into the couch. It’s sister night, and Alex is on the other end of the couch, patting Kara’s leg comfortingly. “Kara, it’s all going to work out. I promise. I mean, maybe it’s a good thing that you’re touching new people with your hands so often!” Alex immediately regrets the word choice and grimaces as Kara shakes her head and groans dramatically. 

Alex had just found her soulmate last week. She’d shown up to a crime scene and gotten into an argument with an NCPD detective about whose jurisdiction it was, and when she stormed off, her shoulder had bumped into the detective’s, not so gently. She didn’t even think about it until she heard someone say, “Hey! Wait!” The detective had taken off their jacket and jogged to catch up with Alex. “Is your soulmate mark on your left shoulder?” She asked breathlessly. Alex’s eyes widened, and she moved to tug her shirt to the side. Her X was now a vibrant red. She gasped, an answer to the detective's question. They looked at each other. The detective broke into a grin, and Alex wondered how she didn’t notice those adorable dimples before. “I’m Maggie Sawyer,” the girl said. “Alex Danvers,” Alex replied, feeling a little bashful now. She had been rude to her soulmate before. But she didn’t need to worry because Maggie took a step forward and pulled Alex into a hug. “I’m so glad I found you,” she whispered.

Kara had been happy for Alex, of course. She’d squealed and done a happy dance at the DEO when she told her. But now it's sister night, she's on her tenth piece of pizza, and she can't help but complain a little. Alex gives her a sympathetic look and offers, "Now that I've found Maggie, maybe I can focus all my extra soulmate finding energy on helping you find yours!" Kara scoffs and gives her sister an affectionate look. "You already do so much for me, Alex. There's no way I'm going to let you help me with this. You should be focusing on your new, awesome relationship." Alex sighs dreamily. "It is pretty awesome. She's pretty awesome."

The conversation is cut short due to a Supergirl emergency, but Kara makes Alex promise that she can meet Maggie as soon as possible. As she busts through a wall in an abandoned warehouse _(Why is it always an abandoned warehouse?_ ), Kara thinks about how happy she is for Alex. Alex deserves this. Finding her soulmate, being all giddy and lovestruck-- it's a good look on her sister. She glances at her hand where her suit just barely covers her mark. She’s grown out of the habit of checking it almost constantly, perhaps tired of the disappointment. Kara sighs and and tries to focus on the task at hand, but in her head she keeps thinking, _When when when?_

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The first time Kara Danvers meets Lena Luthor, Kara is accompanying Clark to L-Corp to question her about the Venture explosion. There’s no formal introduction. Lena just sweeps into the room with Kara and Clark trailing behind her as she explains herself, and all Kara can think is, _Rao, she’s beautiful._ Kara’’s always admired powerful women, and there’s something about the way that Lena commands the room that has her paying close attention. But maybe Kara’s attention is misplaced, because she’s caught totally off guard when Lena and Clark seem to be waiting for her to say something. _Did she just ask me a question? Crap._ Kara stumbles through an explanation of why she’s there, and the rest of the meeting is a blur. While Clark comes away from it still feeling suspicious of the new Luthor in town, Kara is more optimistic. Lena is an exciting puzzle that for some reason, she is eager to solve.

Lena has had better days. Her welcome to National City hasn’t exactly been warm. She gets that people are suspicious, but feeling like she has to prove herself again and again never stops being tiring. She is hopeful though, that this new city will be a fresh start for her and the company. She needs it. She wasn’t thrilled with Clark Kent showing up to her office unannounced, but she will say that the girl he was with was adorable, in an unassuming way. Lena hardly spend any time thinking about romance these days, let alone her soulmate. She knows it will be an unusual occasion if, or when, someone touches her ankle of all places, so she’s never been hopeful about it. But meeting someone like Kara Danvers, who makes her feeling something, reminds her that love could still be out there. She wants to bang her head on the desk at how cheesy it sounds, but her assistant comes in then, telling her the helicopter is ready.

As the helicopter takes off, Lena quips to the pilot that she still gets a little antsy flying, even though she knows it’s statistically the safest way to travel. She only realizes the irony later, and not when they start getting shot at. She sees the drone that’s firing at them, and she sees Superman and Supergirl blocking the bullets. _The Supers stepping in to save the Luthor. Just my luck._ She doesn’t have much time to think about what an awful first impression this will be because her pilot has been shot, and the helicopter is out of control. Lena is quick to snap to action, but as soon as she undoes her seatbelt, she knows this isn’t going to end well. Still, she’s determined to try to crawl into the front seat and take over the controls. She would have made it too, had it not been for the drone getting one more good shot in, rattling the helicopter enough to throw Lena off balance and send her tipping out of the aircraft. She briefly thinks, as she falls, that this is it. This is the way she’s going to die. And she’s surprised when the one regret that comes to mind is that she didn’t get to meet her soulmate.

She knows that logically, she was probably only falling for a couple of seconds before all motion stops with a firm tug to her ankle. _Wait._ She’s looking at National City upside down now, and she swings her head around to see Supergirl holding her by the ankle while holding the helicopter steady with her other hand. She thanks all the gods that she’s wearing pants today. “Don’t worry-- I’ve got you!” Supergirl shouts. Lena just kind of gapes at her. She recognizes that they’re slowly descending, and as soon as she’s able to she braces herself back with an arm and not-so-gracefully lands on the ground as Supergirl gently lets her go. Though disoriented, the first thing she does is glance at her ankle, where a red X now stares back at her.

Lena isn’t sure whether to laugh or cry, so she just kind of goes into shock instead. She turns to look at her soulmate. She didn’t get a good look before, but now that she’s closer she can appreciate the way Supergirl’s muscles strain as she now uses both hands to carefully place the banged up helicopter on the landing pad. Then in a flash she’s by Lena’s side, lending a hand to help her stand. She holds onto Lena’s arms, keeping her balanced. “Are you okay?” Lena opens her mouth to respond, but absolutely no words come out. Instead she studies Supergirl’s face, lets herself get lost in focused eyes, and stops herself from smoothing out the worried crinkle between the superhero’s brows. Some paramedics appear then, and she doesn’t remember when or how they even got there, but they take over the scene. Supergirl moves to leave, and Lena grabs her hand. When Supergirl turns to her, Lena gives a breathless, “Thank you,” and the blonde offers her a small smile before flying off.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Alex. ALEX!” Kara pokes her sleeping sister in the nose, and Alex jumps awake. “What the hell!?” she grunts and smacks Kara’s hand away from her face. “What are you doing here, Kara? It’s --” she glances at the clock, “almost three in the morning! Did you fly here in that?” Kara looks down at herself and realizes she hadn’t quite finished her nighttime routine because she’s only wearing her flannel pajama pants and a sports bra. “I was in a rush.” Alex looks unconvinced but before she can say anything, Kara remembers why she came here. “ALEX MY MARK IS RED.” She spills out the words in a panicked rush and Alex looks confused and then alarmed. She grabs Kara’s right hand and sees that her sister is right-- there’s a red X on her palm. She looks up, and Kara is clearly terrified. Alex speaks carefully, “Kara… Who is your soulmate?” Honestly, Alex is fearing for the worst at this point. It must be someone truly awful for Kara to be freaking out like this. “No, Alex, you don’t understand. I DON’T KNOW WHO IT IS,” she shouts. “I’ve been crazy busy all day and haven’t looked at my hand until tonight when I was getting ready for bed.” Alex’s eyebrows shoot up. _Oh shit._ Kara starts pacing furiously by the bed. “It could literally be anyone, Alex. I shook hands with tons of people at that work thing that Clark took me to. Then we made an appearance at the hospital and I shook everyone’s hands there too. SO MANY HANDS. I fought off at least twenty of those spiky looking aliens that were part of that gang. I pulled a dozen people out of that sinking boat. Ohmygosh...” Kara blanches. “What...?” Alex asks worriedly. Kara whips around to look at her sister. “I high-fived an entire little league baseball team.” Alex tips her head back and tries not to roll her eyes at that. “I think you’re probably safe there,” she tells her sister. Kara falls onto the mattress face first and groans. Alex calmly gets up and digs around in her dresser for a shirt, tossing it at Kara. “Go change and come get in bed with me. We’ll figure this out together.”

Kara throws on the shirt and burrows under the blankets next to her sister. “What if I never find them? What if I wasted the one shot I had?” she questions tearfully. Alex pulls a sniffling Kara closer to her, but she doesn’t repsond. The questions seem rhetorical anyway. She hates seeing her sister so distraught, but she knows she shouldn’t make any promises about how this will turn out. Instead she just holds her sister tight and hopes that whoever Kara’s soulmate is will look for her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara still doesn't know who her soulmate is, and Supergirl doesn't seem to be on the same page as Lena. Bummerz.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there kids! Thank you for all the awesome comments! Very encouraging and helpful. Keep em coming! I changed same formatting stuff based on a suggestion about breaking up the dialogue. Thank you for that!
> 
> Also, I know I don't follow the canon timeline. Basically threw it out the window. But you do whatcha gotta do.

They’re standing in front of a whiteboard at the DEO. They all know what’s at stake, and tensions are high. Alex is concentrating hard, scanning over the intel they have so far. Winn stands a respectable distance behind her, knowing not to get close when she’s in the zone. Supergirl shifts from one foot to the other, arms crossed over her chest. J’onn looks on, nodding approvingly as he formulates their next move.

“We’ve already questioned the suspects from the ship, so you can cross them off the list, Agent Danvers.”

“Are we really calling them suspects?” Winn whispers to no one in particular.

Kara shakes her head. “Guys, we really don’t have to do this. I’ve already told you I don’t expect you to help me find my soulmate.”

“But Winn made this amazing diagram!” Alex points to the indecipherable web of names and arrows mapped out on the whiteboard. Winn beams and then frowns when he realizes she’s being sarcastic.

“I just think that if the universe wants me to find them again, it’ll happen. Right?”

J’onn puts a hand on Supergirl’s shoulder. “We understand that this is stressful, but we’re happy to help. We want you to find your soulmate, Supergirl.”

Alex nods in agreement. “Now let’s go over this again. We’ve already knocked off some people from the list. We’re getting somewhere. Who else here could we get ahold of?”

Winn chimes in, “How about Lena Luthor? Don’t you interview her sometimes?”

Kara blushes at the mention of the CEO. It’s true that Kara has interviewed her a handful of times now. She’d even say they have a tentative friendship. Kara has found that the more she’s gotten to know Lena (whether in person or via totally normal and friendly internet stalking), the more she likes her. The young Luthor is insanely smart, confident, brave, and unfairly pretty. What’s not to like? “Umm, yeah. I’ll see what I can find out.”

Alex shakes her heads disbelievingly. “I don’t know why you haven’t asked her yet. If I were you, and I had a list of potential soulmates to go through, I’d most definitely start with the hottest one.”

Truthfully, Kara doesn’t dare think that someone so out of her league could be her soulmate. Of course, she’d like for Lena to be her soulmate. But she has been dismissing her name on the list of possibilities because, there’s just no way.

“How did you meet her again?” Winn asks as he spins in his chair. 

Alex smirks and answers for her. “She was a damsel in distress, and Supergirl heroically saved her from certain death. Snagged the Luthor right out of the air.”

Kara knows her sister is trying to tease her. She may have fangirled over Lena in Alex’s presence more than once. But she can answer for herself, thank you very much. “It wasn’t a big deal. I caught her when she fell for me. NOT FOR ME. Fell out of a helicopter,” she corrects quickly, and Alex snorts out a laugh. “Ugh. Whatever.” Kara pouts childishly, and her sister takes pity on her, slinging an arm around her shoulder and pulling her into a side hug. 

“It’s okay, sis. We get it. Who wouldn’t fall for you?”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lena is screwed.

She hasn’t seen Supergirl for a couple of weeks now. Not in person anyway. She would never admit it, but she’s spent plenty of time watching the hero on the news. She may have even looked up every article and youtube video that exists about her. She most definitely doesn’t have an alert on her phone notifying her of the latest Supergirl headlines.

At first, Lena was a little hurt that Supergirl didn’t seek her out soon after the helicopter incident. I mean surely, she would want to meet her soulmate properly. They had so much to talk about. But when Supergirl didn’t show that day, nor the next day, nor the day after that, Lena came up with every excuse possible, wanting to give the superhero the benefit of the doubt.

_She must be incredibly busy. She does have lives to save, after all._

_Perhaps there was an accident, and she has amnesia. She doesn’t remember meeting me. Oh God, I hope it’s temporary._

_Maybe she’s going to make a big, romantic gesture, now that we’ve found each other. Probably takes a lot of time to plan something like that. Should I be doing that??_

_I bet she’s just trying to keep me safe. She’s waiting for a good time to visit me. We are both public figures in a way._

But after a week, Lena’s thoughts inevitably turned more pessimistic. She started to think that maybe, Supergirl didn’t want to be with her. It made sense.

_She must have panicked as soon as she realized it. A Super and a Luthor, fated to be soulmates. What a sick joke._

_Of course she’d stay away from me. She probably thinks it’s a trap, and I’m just out to get her._

_Maybe she took one look at me and decided I wasn’t worth the trouble._

She sits at her desk with another glass of wine and lets out a shaky sigh. She hasn’t been able to stop the barrage of thoughts. She wants to be angry, but she can’t bring herself to be. She can’t blame Supergirl. Supergirl is kind, just, and strong. Lena imagines she must be practically perfect. _And it really doesn’t help that she’s achingly gorgeous._

But Lena isn’t a quitter. She isn’t one to give up. She allows herself to retain a flicker of hope, because maybe this is all just a big misunderstanding. She should at least give Supergirl the opportunity to explain herself.

As she leaves her office for the night, she’s decides that maybe she just needs to make the next move.

The next day, she shows up at CatCo unannounced. It doesn’t take her long to find Kara, and when she does, she’s rewarded with a bright smile. “Lena! Surprise visit to CatCo?”

Lena can’t help but smile at her new friend’s endearing enthusiasm. Kara Danvers has been such a pleasant surprise, and quite honestly she’s a breath of fresh air. Lena isn’t well versed in any kind of relationship that isn’t tainted by some kind of business angle. Everyone seems to want something from her, but Kara doesn’t seem to expect anything. She seems to enjoy Lena’s company even if there’s nothing in it for her. Lena knows she’s here under the guise of inviting Kara to this event, but mostly she just needs a way to get in touch with Supergirl. She knows Kara’s sister works with her. She doesn’t feel guilty for using her friend though. She really does want her at the gala. So when Kara readily agrees to attend, Lena is ecstatic.

It’s then that Lena notices Kara’s male companion, lingering nearby and obviously eavesdropping on the conversation. He says his name is Mike of the Interns, and if Lena thinks that’s weird, she doesn’t really show it. He somehow gets invited as well, and Kara seems annoyed so Lena changes the subject. “I was also wondering if you could get in touch with Supergirl for me?”

Kara blanks for a moment then nods her head a little too eagerly. “Yeah, totally. I mean, I think so. Maybe? What’s it about?”

“I just wanted to talk to her about security for the event. Could you just tell her to stop by my office sometime? I’m practically always there.” Lena hopes she doesn’t sound desperate.

Kara just smiles. “No problem. I’ll confirm it with you later. Oh! But--”

Mon-El interrupts, “Kara lost her number. Can she have yours?”

“Ha!” Kara steps in front of him, effectively blocking him from Lena. “Such a funny guy, Mike.” She laughs awkwardly. Lena seems to be trying not to smile by biting her lip, and it’s incredibly distracting. Kara blinks.

Lena clears her throat and moves to pull a card out of her purse. She hands it to Kara. “Here’s my number in case you need it. Text me anytime. I should get going, but I’ll see you soon! Thanks for asking Supergirl to stop by.”

Kara has a dreamy expression on her face as she watches Lena walk away. It last all of five seconds before she whips around to Mon-El and smacks him on the head.

“Ow!”

“Why did you say that?? That was embarrassing!”

Mon-El smiles sheepishly, slowly backing away from a seething Kara. “Winn taught it to me! He said it was a way to get the calling numbers of prospective mates. Just thought you might need some help.”

Kara shakes her head and walks away. “I can’t. I can’t even.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Lena hears the soft tap on her balcony door later that day, her stomach somersaults. This is it. She knows she’ll be dissecting this entire interaction, and she really, _really_ wants it to go well. She takes a minute to compose herself and slowly gets up to open the door. Supergirl is there, giving her a little wave. Lena is embarrassed by how fast her heart is beating, and she knows that Supergirl can likely hear it. _Get a grip, Luthor._

When Lena opens the door, Supergirl strides in confidently, hands on her hips. “Miss Luthor. Good to see you right side up.” It’s a stupid joke, but Lena laughs a little too loudly.

“Please, call me Lena. I think it’s only fair, considering the circumstances.” Lena crosses her arms and leans against her desk.

“Lena it is then.” 

The name slips out of Supergirl’s mouth so softly and naturally, and Lena finds herself liking it way too much.

Supergirl’s face turns serious. “I have to be honest with you about something…”

Lena’s heart skips. “Yes?”

“Kara Danvers told me you wanted to talk about your upcoming gala, and I don’t think it’s a good idea.” Supergirl is all business now, looking at Lena with some apprehension. “Whether you like it or not, there’s still a target on your back, and until we catch who’s after you, you should lay low.”

Lena frowns. She doesn’t want to argue about her safety right now. “That’s seriously all you have to say to me? There’s nothing else you’d rather talk about?” She raises an eyebrow.

Supergirl looks a little shocked, like she wasn’t expecting that response in the slightest. Lena can’t help but be impressed. She adds “amazing acting” to Supergirl’s long list of talents. Lena feels a flicker of rage bubble up inside her. _Fine. I see how it is._ She wants to push the girl. Let her know that this isn’t okay.

“I... Umm,” Supergirl fumbles uncharacteristically, and all thoughts of calling out the hero go out the window. The Girl of Steel looks like a confused puppy, and Lena softens. 

“Sorry.” Lena clears her throat. “What I meant was, maybe we can talk about some extra safety precautions for the gala, since it’s definitely going to happen.”

Supergirl relaxes and nods. “Okay. I assume you want me?” She flushes and adds, “There. At the gala, for extra security, I mean.”

Lena just smiles. “Yes, that would be great. I appreciate your help.”

As she watches her soulmate fly away, Lena wonders what in the hell just happened. Is this how it’s going to be? They’ll just pretend like they’re not meant to be together? _I can’t believe I just let her avoid the subject._ She couldn’t help it though. She was clearly making Supergirl uncomfortable, so she let her off the hook. It had felt like the right thing to do. Better to let her go before she gets too attached, she supposes. So why does it feel like her heart might not make it out of this unscathed?


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One list is destroyed, another created. And then... that one's destroyed too.

“I don’t think Lena likes Supergirl very much.”

Alex glances at her sister as she pours a glass of wine. “Why would you say that?”

“Because she was acting weird when I stopped by to discuss the gala with her. And then we barely even discussed it.”

Maggie is there at Kara’s apartment too tonight, and she gets up to join Alex in the kitchen. “I thought you said the gala went well?” she asks over her shoulder.

Kara grumbles, “Yeah, I guess you could say it went well, if that’s what we’re calling Lena sabotaging her own event to trap some criminals.” She’s still a little bitter about that. She can’t believe Lena didn’t tell her what she had planned. “I mean it seemed like she was grateful that Supergirl was there, but I can’t shake the feeling that she’s mad at her. Well. Me, I guess.”

Maggie snickers. It was downright magical how seamlessly the detective had become part of the family. When Kara met her for the first time, she liked her instantly. It felt like Maggie and Alex had been dating for years; they navigated their relationship so well. A soulmate system success story, for sure. Maggie handled knowing Kara’s secret surprisingly well, and she’s even on board to lend a hand at the DEO when she can. It helps that she already works closely with aliens. Supergirl threatening to chuck her into the sun if she hurt Alex probably helped as well.

Alex walks back into the room, and drops on the couch next her sister. “She’s probably your soulmate, and that’s why she was being weird. Seriously Kara, no offense, but it’s completely stupid that you haven’t brought it up with her yet.”

Kara winces at that. “I know, I know.”

Maggie leans over the back of the couch to wrap her arms around Alex, chin on her shoulder. “What’s the hold-up, Little Danvers?”

Kara stares off into space and considers the question. “I’m scared,” she says simply. That’s an understatement. She’s nigh indestructible, arguably the most powerful being on the planet, yet she’s terrified. She’s terrified because Lena is probably not her soulmate, and Kara doesn’t know if she can deal with the disappointment when she finds out for sure.

The other two women share a concerned look, which turns into a silent conversation between them. Kara feels a wave of envy wash over her, and she glances at the red X on her hand. She feels like it’s mocking her at this point. Alex interrupts her train of thought: “Talk to her, Kara. You have to, or this will tear you up. And no matter how it goes, we’ll be here for you.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kara has lunch with Lena the next day. She strides into the CEO’s office like a woman on a mission, armed with four bags of Chinese take-out. She scoots Lena’s chess set to the side and carefully sets the bags on the table like she’s handling precious cargo. In all fairness, food _is_ most definitely precious to Kara. Satisfied with her arrangement, she clasps her hands behind her back and spins to face Lena, giving her a wide smile. “Hi!”

Lena chuckles, shaking her head fondly at the personification of sunshine in front of her. “Well hello, Kara,” she smiles slyly. “I see you’ve yet again brought an impossible amount of food. You think we’ll be able to finish it all?”

“I’m feeling confident today,” Kara replies, plopping on the couch and patting the space next to her, invitingly. She misses the way Lena raises her eyebrows at that, instead focusing on unpacking the food.

They exchange some small talk while they eat, Kara telling Lena about her latest article on pollution levels in the city, Lena giving a rundown of her meeting with R&D earlier that morning. Kara can feel the situation getting away from her, and she knows her nerves will get the best of her if she doesn’t ask _now,_ so she sets down her food for a minute and blurts, “Lena, have you met your soulmate?”

Lena blinks once. Twice. Kara holds her breath, trying to look nonchalant as if she didn’t just ask a very personal question. Lena finally opens her mouth and says, “Yes, I have.”

Kara nods thoughtfully. “Cool. Right. And you know them and stuff? I mean, you’re with them? You guys are together? Like you’re not looking for them or anything?” She fidgets her hands and scolds herself for the barrage of questions.

Lena straightens and eyes Kara suspiciously. She hesitates before answering, “No, I’m not looking for them. I know exactly who they are. But… it’s complicated. Why do you ask?”

Kara’s heart sinks. _Not my soulmate then._ “No reason. Just umm… curious, I guess,” she finishes lamely.

“I noticed that your X is red.” Lena gestures to Kara’s hand, and Kara instinctively flips her hand palm up, displaying her mark. “But you’ve never told me about your soulmate. What are they like?”

Kara can tell Lena’s trying to get the attention off of herself, but she can’t help but echo back, “It’s complicated,” with a huff. Lena gives her a sad smile.

They’re quiet for a moment until Lena murmurs, “I don’t think my soulmate wants to be with me.”

“What!?” Kara shouts, and it startles her companion. “Lena, that’s… that’s crazy! Anyone would be lucky to be paired with you, I mean look at you!” Kara gestures at the CEO, vaguely. “You’re drop dead gorgeous, you’re crazy successful, wicked smart. Like, come on!” Lena blushes and instinctively opens her mouth to talk down the compliment, but Kara grabs both of her hands, adamant. “You deserve to be in a dedicated, loving relationship. Your soulmate is an idiot if they can’t see how incredible you are. If I were them I’d--” Kara trails off. She needs to stop talking. She drops Lena’s hands in favor of picking up her chopsticks and shoving more chow mein in her mouth. Not her best avoidance tactic, but she didn’t dare continue her thought. Lena was practically a taken woman. Even if her soulmate was apparently a total bum, they’ll surely come to their senses eventually, and it’ll all be a done deal. She should respect that. _Right?_

She makes the mistake of glancing up at Lena after taking another another huge bite, and she almost chokes. Lena is staring at her intently, and Kara’s never seen this particular look on her face before. It’s all happy disbelief, gratitude, and unbridled affection. It’s the kind of look that makes Kara want to throw caution to the wind and tug Lena towards her and find out if her lips are as kissable as they look. But she doesn’t.

Instead she breaks the eye contact and clears her throat. “Sorry.” It comes out hoarse. She’s not sure what exactly she’s sorry for, but she says it anyway. It seems to break Lena from her trance, and they’re back to silence again, unable to look at each other. Lena picks at her food, appetite seemingly gone.

But Lena isn’t ready to let the moment go, whatever it is. “I know it’s terribly taboo to talk about, but sometimes I wonder if the soulmate system really… works.” She speaks cautiously.

Kara’s interest is immediately piqued. “Like ethically?”

Lena nods. “Since in many ways it takes away an individual’s right to make their own choice.”

“There’s no law saying you have to be with your soulmate.”

“Sure, but there’s plenty of societal expectation.”

Kara tips her head back against the couch and closes her eyes. “I don’t know what to think anymore,” she says quietly. Kara wonders if she crossed a line, and she resolves to let the topic die.

Silence envelops the room again, but this time it feels more companionable, both women resigned for now. The sunlight pours into the room, shining on the CEO, her reporter friend, and too many boxes of Chinese food. Lena imagines that maybe this, this right here, could be enough for her. _To hell with Supergirl._

“Don’t fall asleep on my couch again, Kara.”

“That was one time!”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kara is trying to move on, but some days she feels stuck in a rut. After her conversation with Lena, she suited up in a side alley and flew to the DEO. She headed straight for that stupid whiteboard and completely obliterated it with her heat vision. Winn had ducked under his desk with a yelp, while Alex and J’onn calmly watched on. 

“Agent Danvers, go set up the training room for Supergirl.” 

Alex nodded and whispered under her breath so only Kara could hear, “Whenever you’re ready.”

Supergirl spent the rest of the afternoon with a heavy duty punching bag and the Kryptonite emitter on to dampen her powers. She let out all her frustrations until she was totally spent, sinking down to the floor. Alex only joined her then, and Kara appreciated that. The older Danvers didn’t say anything, just pulled her sister into a hug. They don’t talk about soulmates for a while after that.

Any kind of continuation of the soulmate search gets put on pause anyhow. Cadmus emerging from the shadows keeps Supergirl busy, and unfortunately Lena as well. Kara is determined to get over her crush, but she’s equally if not more determined to defend Lena’s honor to the bitter end. She’s still her friend, maybe even her best friend, and Kara’s never been so naturally inclined to believe in anyone as fiercely as she believes in Lena, and it shows. Kara’s unwavering faith proves to be contagious; so much so that by the time the worst of it is over, Lena has gained a handful of new allies.

With the unofficial stamp of approval from the Superfriends, Kara starts inviting Lena to everything. Game nights, movie nights, and the newly invented girls night (being a third wheel to Alex and Maggie wasn’t always fun). Kara playfully explains to Lena that she wants to give her the “Full Kara Danvers Friendship Experience,” and Lena seems delighted at the idea. Lena’s been through a lot, and even though she never brings it up again, Kara assumes Lena’s soulmate is still slacking off, so she takes it upon herself to be her friend’s main source of support. 

There are more selfish forces at play, of course. The need to be close to Lena is a very real one for Kara, and although they may never be together in a romantic way, Kara has settled for keeping Lena in her life as a friend forever.

“It’s just so _easy_ to be with her, James,” Kara explains one evening, in between bites of a burrito. They’re working late and it’s been a while since just the two of them have hung out.

James eyes the burrito warily. It’s approximately the size of an infant, and that’s very unsettling. But he looks away so he can address his coworker. “I know, Kara, and trust me-- I’m glad you have someone like that to spend time with. And we all like Lena. I just want to make sure that you don’t get hurt. Feelings are tricky.”

Kara swallows the last bite and wipes her face. “Yeah, yeah.” She crumples up her napkin.

“Ten bucks says you can’t sink that into the trash can over there.” James points to the unreasonably small wastebasket way across the room. “I don’t even know why that’s in this office. It’s like a cup. You’d have to empty it every time you put a wrapper in there.”

“I think it’s more for decorative purposes. Cat wanted it, so no one argued,” Kara explains while she lines up the shot, not bothering to get up from her chair. She chucks her napkin ball with considerable force and a perfect arch, landing it smoothly into the bin. She turns to James with a smug smile.

“Whatever.” He pulls out his wallet.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They’re at the grocery store one night, Kara sailing through the produce section, riding the cart, and Lena trailing a considerable distance behind. She practically has to shout for the blonde to hear her. “Kara, don’t even think about skipping the produce section!” Kara screeches to a halt. Talking to herself, Lena mutters, “How that girl is even alive I have no idea.” 

Kara watches Lena approach and huffs dramatically. “I swear, if you try to feed me kale one more time…”

Lena scoffs, grabbing a bag of spinach and tossing it in the cart instead. “Fine. We’ll just have to try something else. I find it hard to believe that there isn’t a single vegetable you like. Come on, Kara.” She fakes a pout. “Please? What’s your favorite vegetable?”

Kara rolls her eyes and pretends to ponder a moment. She looks at Lena brightly and holds up a finger. “Candy corn.”

“Aren’t you terribly clever,” Lena deadpans.

“I think you kinda like it.” Kara winks.

“I’ll make you a deal,” Lena starts, ignoring the butterflies that inevitably follow Kara’s antics. “You pick out one vegetable, let me cook it in some kind of dish for you, and I’ll let you pick out whatever flavor ice cream you want for movie night. Fair?”

Kara bites her bottom lip in contemplation. “Make it two different ice cream flavors, and I’m sold.”

“Done.” The second the word is out of her mouth, Lena is nearly tackled into a hug. She downright squeals when Kara picks her up, automatically wrapping her arms around the other girl’s neck. The blonde spins her around, and Lena lets herself melt into it. She adores this part of Kara. The part that gives affection unabashedly. To the majority of the population, it’d be bad news to even be in the same vicinity as a Luthor. But here Kara is, hugging Lena in the middle of the grocery store.

“You two are so sweet!”

The two friends turn simultaneously and take a step back from one another. There’s an older woman with kind eyes smiling at them. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt. You just remind me of what my soulmate and I were like when he was still alive. It’s nice to see.”

“Oh we’re not--” 

“Thank you,” Lena interjects, sneaking a look at Kara that clearly says, _Just go with it._ “We’re umm. Sorry for your loss.”

The woman nods gratefully. “Love is such a precious thing. I wish that I’d relished every moment. Even with the soulmate system, you can sometimes miss what’s right in front of you. But don’t mind me, ladies. You just seem so happy together-- I couldn’t help but comment. Enjoy the rest of your evening!”

While the woman spoke, Lena had slipped a hand into Kara’s, and now as the stranger walks away they both raise their free hands and wave, adding another “Thank you!” and “Goodnight!”

Once she’s out of sight, Lena releases Kara’s hand, instantly missing the warmth. She turns to Kara and apologizes. “Sorry for that. She just looked kind of sad and nostalgic and maybe I shouldn’t have let her think--”

“Lena.” Kara nudges her shoulder and smiles. “It’s fine. I didn’t mind at all. It was thoughtful of you.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A scientist at heart, Lena is all about taking a logical approach to solving a problem, or in this case, a straight-up dilemma. Although, there’s really nothing “straight” about it. She rolls out her neck, cracks her knuckles, and takes a deep breath. _Okay Lena, you can figure this out._ She pulls out a piece of paper and makes a simple t chart.

On one side, she writes, “Supergirl.” On the other, “Kara Danvers.” _This is stupid. This is so stupid. This isn’t some pros and cons list for what insurance company to go with._ She gets up to grab a bottle of wine. She’s gonna need it.

She is perplexed by her own feelings, and she thinks spelling it out might help. So now with a glass of wine at the ready, she starts to write.

She’s drawn to Supergirl in a way that feels magnetic and avoidable. It’s like a string that’s constantly pulling her the hero’s direction. There’s a deep sense of duty involved as well, like Lena is committed to this nonexistent relationship. Well, she wouldn’t call it nonexistent. They do have a professional relationship. Sometimes even a professional relationship tinged with friendliness. It surprises her, how willing Supergirl is to work with her, how they’ve even managed to work _together_ for the greater good, but Lena supposes that’s all it is. Working together with the sole purpose being to save the city. But it still felt amazing, and so _right_ to be a team like that.

Lena’s handful of interactions with the Girl of Steel all left her feeling like a lovesick teenager. She can’t seem to stop swooning over how charming, sweet, and frustratingly _strong_ she is. Even though the hero still doesn’t acknowledge that they’re literally meant for each other, she’s been nothing but kind to Lena. And that is the bottom line here: Supergirl is her soulmate. She should trust the system.

But then there’s Kara. Lena moves to the other side of her chart and begins to scribble words furiously as she thinks. Kara might just be the real hero to Lena. She’s the most solid and consistent thing in Lena’s life right now, and she doesn’t know where she’d be without her. Possibly dead. Kara is warmth and support, laughter and hope. Lena likes who she can be with her. She likes the way the blonde makes her feel free. Like she can do anything.

She’ll never forget the conversation they had that day in her office over lunch, about the soulmate system. She’d thought for a moment that Kara was going to say she had feelings for her, that she’d given up on her own soulmate and wanted to be with Lena. It was an idea Lena had been totally unprepared for then, but if Kara brought it up now? She may very well say, “Screw the system. Let’s do this-- me and you.” And that’s telling in and of itself. But that isn’t what happened, and Kara hasn’t brought it up since.

It also doesn’t hurt that Kara is adorable, with her bright eyes and her soft hair and the way she looks at Lena longingly when she thinks she’s not paying attention. Not that Lena isn’t guilty of of those same helpless stares in the other direction. Lena is without a doubt attracted to her best friend.

_Ugh._

Lena stares at the piece of paper in front of her, suddenly hating everything about it. She slams a hand on the table, frustrated. _I can’t do this._

She rips the paper in two and sends it through the shredder. It’s cathartic, but she knows if Lex were there he’d call her a drama queen. She doesn’t care. She pours the rest of the wine down the sink and clicks off the light.

_Results: Inconclusive._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not one of those fics where we'll spend twenty more chapters with these two being painfully oblivious. We're getting close, guys.
> 
> Happy Valentine's Day Eve!
> 
> Thanks for being awesome! =]


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth comes out. To the wrong person. Superfriends scheme.

"Are we friends?”

Lena and Alex are laying on the floor in Alex’s kitchen. Girls Night had turned into one drink too many for the both of them, and Maggie and Kara had long since left, both claiming “work emergencies.” Lena doesn’t remember the particulars of when they left or how she and Alex ended up here on the floor, but she decides it’s nice.

There’s only a small pause of silence before Alex answers the question.

“Of course we are.”

“Then can I tell you a secret?” The words rush out before Lena can stop them, and her heart starts to thud. She knows it’s the wine talking, but she is so desperate to talk about this with someone. Anyone. And Alex is here and says she’s her friend, and although friendship has been foreign to Lena until recently, she’s fairly certain this is what friends do. Tell each other secrets.

Alex turns her head towards Lena. She can see the panic in Lena’s face, so she reaches out a hand and tentatively touches Lena’s arm. It’s a totally accidental friendship they’ve fallen into, all thanks to Kara, but Alex is grateful all the same. She actually _likes_ spending time with Lena. She’s smart and funny, and her glares nearly rival Alex’s. So whatever Lena needs to tell her right now, Alex is determined to be there for her. “You can tell me anything.”

Lena takes a deep breath. She’s sober enough to know that logically, she shouldn’t tell Alex, someone who seems to work closely with Supergirl, that Supergirl is her soulmate. And she shouldn’t tell Alex, someone notorious for being overprotective, that she may have some not-so-platonic feelings for her little sister. So she keeps it vague at first. “Not too long ago, I found out who my soulmate is. And I’ve seen them several times since then, but they fail to acknowledge that we’re a match. I’m fairly certain it’s because they don’t want to be my soulmate. So they’re just pretending that nothing happened. And it’s… discouraging, to put it mildly.”

She pauses. Here comes the kicker-- what’s really going to give her away. But it’s felt wonderfully therapeutic to say these things out loud, so she plows ahead. “But in the meantime, I’ve developed… feelings for someone, who isn’t my soulmate, and I don’t know what to do.”

Alex doesn’t respond. She just stares at Lena with a puzzled look, like she’s trying to figure something out. Lena takes it as a sign to continue.

“Honestly, I wouldn’t blame my soulmate if they have decided to just ignore it. I’m a Luthor. So much… wickedness is attached to my name that they’d probably be better off not tying themselves to me. Actually, I’m _positive_ that my soulmate would suffer from being associated with me.”

“What do you mean by that?” Alex sits up slowly, seeming oddly excited.

Lena glances at Alex cautiously. _You’ve said too much, Lena. Reel it back._ “I just mean that she’s a good person and doesn’t deserve to be tainted by all my baggage.”

“It’s a she?”

Lena sighs and closes her eyes. _Damn._ “Yes, Alex.”

The cogs are turning in Alex’s head. “Where is your X?”

“My left ankle.” She gives Alex a pointed look. “Don’t laugh.”

Alex puts her hands up in a not-guilty gesture. “Hey, I’m not judging. But now you have to tell me how it happened, because I can tell there’s a great story behind this.” She smiles at her new friend encouragingly.

Lena rolls her eyes and wonders if this is what a teenage slumber party is like. Sharing silly stories about when crushes at school borrowed a pencil from you. She sits up and moves to lean against the fridge with Alex across from her. She thinks of that fateful day and snorts, remembering how ridiculous it all was. She thinks for a moment that maybe she should lie and stop giving Alex so many little clues. She could say she was getting a pedicure, or that an intern was trying to play footsies under the table. Instead she just condenses her story. “Basically, I fell. And she caught me.”

Alex is screaming inside. _I’ve hit the freaking jackpot. _She schools her features to look unimpressed. “You… fell?”__

__“Mmhmm.”_ _

__“And she caught you?”_ _

__“That’s what I said.”_ _

__“By the ankle?”_ _

__“Yep.”_ _

__Alex narrows her eyes. She has to know for sure. “Any chance she was flying? And maybe had super strength?”_ _

__Lena’s eyes grow comically wide, and Alex can hear her gulp. “Ummmm. Uh. No. What? I have to go.” She shoots up to leave, a little too quickly, and her head spins. She has to grab onto the refrigerator to steady herself._ _

__Alex gets up more carefully and calmly takes a step toward Lena, who eyes her warily. Alex gives her a soft smile and speaks gently. “Lena, it’s okay.”_ _

__The CEO relents, leaning against the fridge and shaking her head. “This is embarrassing.”_ _

__“How is it embarrassing? It’s your reality, and you obviously have some conflicting feelings about it.” Alex takes another step closer. “You know I have to ask… That other person? Who you have feelings for? Is it Kara?”_ _

__Lena tries to put on a stoic face, but she knows she’s failing miserably. She does manage to whisper, “I’m not going to answer that.” She quickly adds, “Alex, you _cannot_ tell Supergirl or Kara about this conversation. Promise me.”_ _

__The older girl is about to argue but sees the trepidation in the other woman’s face. She sighs. “Fine.” _But there’s no way in hell I’m just gonna sit around and do nothing about this.__ _

__When Alex cautiously pulls her into a hug, Lena doesn’t fight it. She even lets herself relax into it a bit. “Who knew you were such a softie?”_ _

__“Tell anyone, and I’ll kill you, Luthor.”_ _

__\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_ _

__“So she told you not to tell Supergirl or Kara about her little confession sesh?”_ _

__“Yep.”_ _

__“But you’re telling me?” Maggie tilts her head at Alex._ _

__“Okay, don’t give me that look. First of all, she didn’t say anything about not telling you. Second of all, you’re my soulmate and I tell you pretty much everything. Third of all, this is _life-changing_ stuff, babe! We have to do something!” Alex halts her gesticulating and looks at her girlfriend expectantly._ _

__“Oh no, we absolutely have to interfere. Don’t worry-- I’m all for it. You’re just cute when you get all worked up.” She sidles up to Alex and plants a kiss on her cheek. “What’s the plan?”_ _

__Alex scowls. “I don’t know yet. Kara needs to initiate, because I can’t tell Lena about Supergirl. It’s not my place. But I can’t tell Kara about Lena… Ugh. They just need a nudge in the right direction! A way to start the conversation. Then they can figure it out on their own and be disgustingly happy and name their kids after us in gratitude.”_ _

__Maggie nods thoughtfully. “What if we hinted to Kara that she should tell Lena’s she’s Supergirl? I mean, it’s about time anyway. Lena’s her best friend.”_ _

__Alex snaps her finger and points at Maggie. “That could work. I’m sure everything would be out in the open then.” She runs a hand through her hair. “Man, I’d love to be a fly on the wall for that conversation. They are both total idiots. It’s gonna be rough.”_ _

__“I think they’ll be okay.” Maggie wraps an arm around her girlfriend. “It’ll work out in the end.” Alex is gives her a warm look._ _

__“This is why I love you.” She pecks Maggie on the lips and pulls out her phone to text Kara: _Lunch tomorrow?__ _

__\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_ _

__Winn is the first to plant the seed. Alex recruits him after her scheming with Maggie, and as suspected, he is more than willing to help. When Alex mentions a non-DEO, covert mission, Winn spends five minutes rolling around on the floor and army crawling under the table in preparation. “I’m a super spy!” He exclaims._ _

__“Winn,” Alex starts, trying to keep the aggravation out of her voice, “I just need you to mention to Kara, sometime today, that it would be nice to have Lena’s help with some techy things at the DEO. That’s all. You got that?”_ _

__“That doesn’t exactly sound like something I’d say. Can I improvise my lines?”_ _

__Alex shoots him a dangerous look._ _

__“Never mind!” Winn laughs nervously. “It’s great. You’re great. We’re all good here.”_ _

__His opportunity comes not much longer after that. It ends up being an average morning for Supergirl-- she helps with a fire downtown and while she’d normally just go home afterwards and get ready for work, she shows up at the DEO instead, her nose picking up the smell of baked goods from a mile away. Maggie brought in a whole box of donuts in earlier, telling Winn it was a foolproof way to summon the superhero. He’d have to give her a fist pump later for just how right she was._ _

__The Girl of Steel is demolishing her third donut by the time Winn strolls into the break room, sporting a casual smile. She nods at him in acknowledgment with puffed cheeks as he slides into the seat next to her. “Good morning!” She talks with her mouth full but knows her friend won’t call her out on it like her sister would._ _

__“Hey Karebear!” This is Winn’s moment, and he’s trying to contain how excited he is to spew his assigned narrative (even though he already knows he’s going to break from his script). _But Alex isn’t here, so HA._ “So, Lena Luthor--”_ _

__The donut in Supergirl’s hand is dropped abruptly and she stands, alert. “Is she okay?? What happened??”_ _

__Winn wants to roll his eyes but instead gestures for Kara to sit back down. “Whoa, cool your jets there. She’s fine. Nothing happened.”_ _

__Kara slowly returns to her seat._ _

__“I was just thinking that it’d be really great to get her input on some of the alien tech we’ve been gathering and maybe get some help on stuff we’re developing too. She’d be a major asset to the DEO with her engineering background, and we all totally trust her. So… You know...” Winn let’s the end of the sentence hang there, like he wants to make sure Kara takes the bait._ _

__His alien counterpart nods pensively. “Yeah. Okay. That’d be cool.”_ _

__The response is pretty non-committal, but Winn lets it go. Supergirl will get the idea by the end of the day._ _

__\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_ _

__James is up next. He sends an IM to Kara soon after she gets into work, asking if they can chat. She shoots back a message in the affirmative and is striding into his office not a minute later._ _

__“Hey James! What’s up?” She’s got her hand shoved in her pockets, and her ponytail is swaying back and forth._ _

__The only reason he is doing this is because he hopes it will help Kara in the long run. That and because Maggie asked him to, which was a big deal because they were still new friends and this would hopefully win him some points with her and Alex. So here he is, about to play a bit of a jealousy card, and he’s not looking forward to it._ _

__“Kara! Hey! So listen,” James gestures to the seat across from his desk, and Kara sits. “I know the Guardian thing is still a kind of touchy subject.”_ _

__The reporter stiffens in her seat. She had definitely been upset when she found out her friend was masquerading as a vigilante in his spare time, but she doesn’t say anything, just kinda jerks her head._ _

__“I was thinking, but I wanted to get your opinion first because you’re her friend and all…” Kara starts to look confused, so James gets to the point. “I want to tell Lena that I’m the Guardian.”_ _

__Kara sputters, “Excuse me?”_ _

__Here’s where James wants to draw some comparisons that he hopes Kara will relate to. “Yeah, I mean, she’s my friend, she’s very important to me, and I trust her. So why wouldn’t I tell her?”_ _

__“I didn’t realize you two were so close,” Kara says, almost accusingly._ _

__“Me and Lena? Hell yeah! We totally… kick it sometimes.” It’s not super convincing, and James clears his throat. “Anyway, what do you think? Should I tell her?”_ _

__Kara seems deep in thought, the crinkle between her brows visible. She adjusts her glasses. “Wouldn’t it put her in danger? Knowing your identity?”_ _

__The way she says it makes James think they aren’t really talking about Guardian anymore, and that’s good. They’re on the right tack. He barks out a laugh. “She’s already a near-constant target. If anything, knowing she’s friends with a badass superhero would make her feel _safer._ ”_ _

__Kara looks unsure about that logic but moves on to her next worry. “Do you think she’ll be mad at me? I mean you?” She gesticulates. “For lying to her?”_ _

__There’s obvious concern tinting Kara’s voice, so James answers gently, “No. And there’s a difference, I think, between lying and keeping a secret. She’ll understand that.”_ _

__Kara seems to consider this. James can practically hear the wheels turning in Kara’s head as she stands. She turns to leave but calls over her shoulder, using her hero voice, “I think you might be right, James. But I want to tell her about Supergirl first, okay?”_ _

__It’s more a command than an actual question, but James nods to himself as he watches her walk away. He whips out his phone to send a text to Maggie: _Phase Two complete. Phase Three should be a piece of cake.__ _

__\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_ _

__By the time her lunch break rolls around, Kara is, as usual, starving. She coerces Alex into going to the new Thai place down the street because she apparently “had a dream about eating pad thai on a cloud,” and claims she’s been thinking about it all day. Alex hopes that isn’t the only thing Kara hasn’t been able to stop thinking about today-- she’s been trying to get her sister to think about something else entirely. She wants to see if Kara will bring it up herself though._ _

__The older Danvers doesn’t have to wait long. The two girls have their food in front of them, and the waiter has safely returned to the kitchen for all of three seconds when Kara blurts, “I kinda wanna tell Lena I’m Supergirl. Can I??”_ _

__The question comes out a touch too loud, and Alex quickly glances around, but there aren’t really any other customers right now. Satisfied that the area is secure for now, she turns to her sister with raised eyebrows. “I don’t know, Kara. Can you?”_ _

__Kara’s shoulders slump a little. “This is serious, Alex.”_ _

__“And I’m being serious! Are you asking my permission? Because you don’t need it. It’s your secret. But for what it’s worth, I would support you if you did decide to tell her.”_ _

__Kara smiles happily, diving into her noodles. _Too easy,_ Alex thinks._ _

__“I’m gonna do it then. Today.”_ _

__Alex nods, impressed. “It’s about time, sis. She deserves to know.”_ _

__“That’s true. I mean, she’s practically family.”_ _

__Alex sips at her water. _Oh Kara, you have no idea._ “So how are you going to tell her?”_ _

__Kara bounces in her seat. “What do you mean?”_ _

__“You jumped off a building for Winn,” Alex deadpans. “Just wondering if you have a plan yet.”_ _

__“Noooooope.” Kara pops the ‘p’ at the end. But she knows where she can get some ideas..._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just one more chapter left, kids.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara bakes a cake. =]

Kara googles, “How to come out to your best friend.” She knows she’s not necessarily “coming out” to Lena per se, but she is going to reveal something significant about her identity. The search results are prolific, but she gets an idea. Granted, it’s an absolutely absurd idea, probably a bad idea, but she goes with it because she needs to do _something_ while she waits for Lena to get off work. She zips off to the store to get some ingredients.

Lena knocks on Kara’s door approximately five hours later. It was the earliest she could manage with how busy work has been lately, but she admits that she may have also found herself dawdling a little. She took her time packing up at the office. She stopped by her apartment to take a shower and change into something more casual. She asked her driver to take the long way. 

She’s anxious, pure and simple. When Kara had texted and asked her to _”Please come over later I need to tell you something,”_ Lena didn’t know what to think. And her friend hadn’t even used a single emoji, so it must be something serious. She just hopes that Alex didn’t blab to Kara about the other night.

So Lena is panicking a little. But now she’s already knocked, so it’s too late to turn back now.

Kara pulls open the door unreasonably fast, as if she’d been standing on the other side waiting. Lena startles and looks up at her friend, who appears even more apprehensive than Lena feels, which isn’t entirely comforting.

“Lena! I’m so glad you’re here!” Kara exclaims somewhat convincingly. She pulls Lena inside by the hand and gives her a hug. Lena sighs into it. She secretly loves their height difference when she isn’t wearing her usual heels.

“I’m sorry it took me so long, I--” Lena pauses. _No more excuses._ “Actually, in all honesty I was worried about what you had to tell me, so I may have stalled a bit coming here. But I…” Lena’s gaze softens as Kara nervously fidgets with her glasses. “I want you to know that you’re my best friend, and you can tell me anything. Always.”

The bulk of Kara’s nerves seem to fizzle, and the reporter takes a steady breath. She silently thanks Rao, for the upteenth time, that this beautiful, patient woman is a part of her life, even if it’s not wholly in the way she wants.

Kara sees no point in delaying the inevitable. After hanging up Lena’s coat and purse, she walks over to the table where she gestures to her creation, Lena trailing behind. “I didn’t know how to tell you this, so I wrote it on a cake, and now that I’m saying that out loud, it sounds really stupid, but umm…”

Lena comes to stand by the other girl and looks down at the cake, reading the words written in pink frosting under her breath as she reads them: “Surprise! I’m Supergirl...” 

_No._

Her head snaps up to look at Kara, who has taken off her glasses and pulled her hair from its ponytail, sending blonde hair cascading over her shoulders. The superhero attempts a weak smile.

Lena is frozen in place, gaping. She can’t believe it.

Kara is watching her companion carefully. She isn’t sure what to do, but her default is to run her mouth through this kind of silence, so she starts into a passionate speech. “I want you to know that I trust you with my life. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you this sooner, but you’ve become so incredibly important to me. You are one of the best people I know, and I would say I just wanted to keep you safe, but it’s more selfish than that. I--”

“Has this all been some kind of test? Or an elaborate prank?” Lena’s voice is hoarse.

“What? Lena, no.” Kara moves a cautious inch closer to the other girl, who still hasn’t moved. “From the moment we’ve met, I’ve had a good feeling about you. I’ve wanted to get to know you and keep you close because you’re interesting and kind and…” Kara grumbles out the the last three words, “...perfect for me.”

“What?”

Kara rushes on, “I have feelings for you, slash I’m even a little in love with you, and I wasn’t planning on sharing that bit, but maybe it will help you understand that my attention has been genuine. It’s all been real.” She waves a hand dismissively.” But I get that you’re not mine to have, so moving on…”

Lena thinks her heart might burst. “I’m in love with you too,” she says softly. The moment lingers a moment before she shakes her head and continues incredulously, “But nothing you just said makes any sense! Kara, I’m your soulmate. I’m practically the definition of ‘yours to have,’ so what the hell?

Kara blinks. “Wait, what? You’re my soulmate??”

Lena scans Kara’s face for signs of deception but finds nothing but pure bewilderment. It dawns on her then that while she may have thought Supergirl was a good liar, if there’s anything she knows about her best friend, it’s that she _is not_. The CEO could always tell when the other girl was lying, even if she wasn’t always sure what she was lying about.

“Oh my God,” Lena whispers, “You really had no idea.” She looks at Kara with a pained expression, and asks with slight hysteria in her voice, “How could you not have known? How did we miss this?”

Kara looks dazed but shakes her head from her stupor at the questions. “Whoa, hold on. Back up.”

Lena pulls out a chair from the table and sits on it cross-legged. She pats the chair next to her, and Kara sits to mirror her. 

They’re sitting close enough that their knees brush, and Lena tries not to let that distract her as she haphazardly rolls up the leg of her jeans, exposing her left ankle.

Kara’s eyes widen as they zero in on the red X marked there. Her hand reaches out, seemingly on its own volition, meticulously tracing the mark with soft fingertips. Lena shivers, and Kara presses her palm to the the woman’s ankle so their marks meet. She looks up. “I caught you when you fell from the helicopter that day. By your ankle.”

Lena smiles softly and nods. But her smile quickly fades. “I assumed that you saw that your X turned red. That you knew it was me.”

Kara laughs bitterly. “Nope. My sleeves cover my mark, so I didn’t notice until I took my suit off. And by then… Let’s just say I had been _swamped_ that day.” Kara runs a hand through her hair. “I can’t believe this. You were on my list of people I’d interacted with, but when I got up the courage to ask you about it--”

“--I said it was complicated, but that I was pretty sure my soulmate didn’t want me,” Lena finishes, staring down at her lap.

Kara laughs in earnest this time. “Which could not be further from the truth, by the way.” She smiles at Lena shyly.

Lena looks up, hopeful. “Are you sure about that?”

There’s a beat of silence, and reality seems to sink in for both women.

Kara slowly leans forward until their foreheads touch. She looks Lena in the eye and says, “I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anything as badly as I want you.”

Kara’s eyes flick down to Lena’s lips and back up again, and that’s all Lena needs to slowly close the distance and bring their lips together. The kiss is soft but sure. Hands slide up to hold Lena’s face, and as she relishes in the feeling of Kara’s lips moving against hers, she can’t help but think that it feels a lot like coming home.

One kiss turns to two, which turns to three before Lena breaks them apart, a little breathless. “I can’t believe that I was so torn up--” Kara cuts her off with a kiss. “--about having feelings for both you and Supergirl--” Another kiss. “--and it turns out you’re the same person.”

Kara reluctantly abandons her efforts because she can tell they both still need to process this. She tilts her head as Lena studies her face. The Luthor runs a thumb over the scar above the hero’s brow. “How did I not see it before? Glasses and a ponytail are hardly a good disguise.”

Kara shrugs. “Sometimes it’s easy to miss what’s right in front of you.”

Lena groans, “Unfortunately that seems to be the moral of this story, in more ways than one.” 

Kara smiles warmly and looks at Lena with a kind of reverence. “It was you this whole time,” she murmurs softly. “I am _so_ happy it’s you.” In a burst of super speed, she tugs Lena into her lap, the other girl letting out a squeak as she wraps her arms around Kara’s neck and adjusts her legs to straddle her. Kara squeezes her hips. “Are you mad I didn’t tell you I was Supergirl sooner?”

Lena doesn’t answer, just raises an eyebrow imperiously. She leans forwards, and Kara thinks Lena might kiss her again, which she’s totally fine with, but instead she reaches past Kara to grab something on the table behind her.

“What are you do--mmph!” Kara’s question is muffled when Lena smashes a handful of cake into Kara’s face.

Kara stills, and Lena bursts out laughing. _Who knew Supergirl could look so cute covered in chocolate frosting?_

Kara pokes out her tongue. “I’m gonna take that as a yes,” she says cheekily.

Lena shuffles off of Kara’s lap and moves to grab a rag and a fork from the kitchen. “I’m not mad at you, Kara. I can hardly blame you for keeping that kind of secret. I’m glad you trust me enough to tell me now.” She runs the rag through some water before returning. “But obviously, if you had told me sooner, we could have figured out the soulmate thing sooner. Saved us some turmoil.”

Kara nods in agreement as Lena steps in between Kara’s legs and starts wiping off her face. “And for some unfathomable reason, you decided to make a cake to tell me. A damn _cake,_ Kara.”

That makes Kara smile ruefully. “My love language is food! You know that.” She snags Lena by the belt loops and pulls her closer. “Besides, I think we both know that you’re not completely innocent here either.”

“True.” Lena sets down the rag and undoes the top button of Kara’s shirt to see the suit underneath, pointing to it. “I should have confronted Supergirl you a little more thoroughly, instead of assuming you didn’t want anything to do with me. I’m sorry.” Her voice is somber, but then she changes her tone to something shamelessly less innocent and asks, “How can I make it up to you?”

Kara smirks and grabs the fork Lena brought over. “You can try my cake!” She twists her body to scoop a bite and holds it out to Lena, who rolls her eyes but complies, leaning forward to accept the peace offering.

The CEO chews thoughtfully then gives Kara an amazed look. “Holy shit, that’s actually _really_ good.”

“She says with surprise in her voice for some reason,” Kara mocks.

“I just… wow.” She steals the fork from Kara and takes another bite. “Mmm.”

“Hey, sharing is caring,” Kara jests, looking a little left out. Lena wordlessly crawls back onto Kara’s lap and makes a show of taking another bite of cake, keeping eye contact with her soulmate as she slowly sets the fork down.

Kara runs her hands up Lena’s thighs and looks up at her in awe. “So this is real?”

Lena nods, the hint of a smile on her lips.

“We’re soulmates? We’re totally into each other? And we’ve been oblivious about all of it for months now?”

“That’s correct.”

“I guess we should make up for lost time then,” Kara murmurs and tilts her head up to kiss Lena. 

The CEO’s response is immediate, kissing Kara back with eagerness. Lena thinks she’s never been as happy as she is _right now,_ and all the stress that accompanied such a huge, ridiculous misunderstanding has faded to the background, and the only thing on her mind now is _Kara, Kara, Kara._

The kisses grow deep and wanting, and Kara lets out a pleased hum when she tastes the chocolate on her soulmate’s lips. She gently sucks on Lena’s bottom lip and preens when the other girl tightens her grip in Kara’s hair. She promptly stands up, chuckling when Lena lets out a yelp and clings to her.

The casual show of strength sends a buzz through Lena’s body, and she presses kisses down Kara’s neck as she’s carried to the couch. They land in a tangle of limbs and breathless laughter, and when Kara winks at her, she knows they won’t be moving from this spot anytime soon.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“What are we calling this now? Double Date Night?” Maggie pulls out a bottle of wine as she chats with her girlfriend.

Alex rolls her eyes. “I can’t believe Kara thought it was really necessary to rename Girls Night. We get it-- we’re dating, they’re dating, blah blah blah.”

“I think it’s cute,” Maggie says as she pulls out a corkscrew.

“I think _you’re_ cute,” Alex says slyly.

Maggie smiles and steps into Alex’s space, kissing her. “I also think you give yourself too much credit for getting those two together.”

Alex wraps her arms around Maggie’s waist. “Well they might be soulmates, but they’re also idiots.”

“We’re sitting right here, you know,” Kara calls from the couch. She was laying with her head in Lena’s lap, scrolling through Netflix but sits up to scowl at her sister.

“Ignore her, darling,” Lena admonishes. Kara sticks out a tongue at Alex before turning to her girlfriend and pressing a lingering kiss to her cheek.

“I love you,” Kara whispers with a smile.

Lena’s heart soars at the words and the look on her soulmate’s face. It’s one of those looks she wants to see again and again, every day for the rest of her life if she can. Pure joy. Deep adoration etched in bright eyes, and the warmth of the sun packed into a beautiful smile. 

It occurs to her then, in the company of her newly found family, that everything worked out exactly like it was supposed to. And she can’t help but feel safe. The future looks good.

After all, Lena knows that whenever she falls, Kara will always be there to catch her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think! Writing this fic was a good experience for me, as cheesy as that sounds. I love the Supercorp dynamic.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic! So, you know, awkwardness abounds. Still trying to find my groove and stuff. Feedback would be very much appreciated. Thanks kids! =]


End file.
